1. A. A farmstead cheese processor shall meet the standards set forth in this chapter.

2. B. The Department shall conduct sanitation inspections of a plant within the Departmental Inspection Area and any other area designated by the Department:

   1. (1) At the start-up of farmstead cheese processing;
   2. (2) Once every 6 months; and
   3. (3) In response to a complaint received by the Department or a local health department.
3. C. Once a year a water supply survey shall be conducted to ensure that the requirements in Regulation .14 and .15 of this chapter are met.

4. D. Reinspections.

   1. (1) If an inspection discloses the existence of a critical or repeat violation of a requirement set forth in this chapter, the Department shall reinspect within 30 days to determine compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
   2. (2) If the Department finds on the second inspection a violation of the same requirement of this chapter, the Department shall issue a notice of intent to suspend the permit or a compliance schedule.

   3. (3) If the Department finds a violation of the same requirement as specified on the notice of intent to suspend the permit or the compliance schedule as specified in the notice, the Department shall:

      1. (a) Suspend the permit in accordance with Regulation .20 of this chapter and Health-General Article, §§21-418 and 21-419, Annotated Code of Maryland; or
      2. (b) Initiate appropriate court action.

5. E. Inspection Reports.

   1. (1) The Department shall give one copy of the inspection report to the permit holder or other responsible person or post the inspection report in a conspicuous place on an inside wall of the establishment immediately after the conclusion of the inspection.

   2. (2) The permit holder:

      1. (a) May not deface the inspection report; and
      2. (b) Shall make the inspection report available to the Department upon request.

Authority: Health-General Article, §§21-211, 21-234, 21-406, 21-416.1, 21-417, 21-418, 21-419,
21-428, 21-434, 21-252—21-256, 21-1202, 21-1203, and 21-1215, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: May 4, 2009 (36:9 Md. R. 651)

Regulation .01A amended effective December 28, 2009 (36:25 Md. R. 1954)

Regulation .04 amended effective December 28, 2009 (36:25 Md. R. 1954)

Chapter revised effective March 28, 2016 (43:6 Md. R. 407)

Regulation .02B amended effective February 27, 2017 (44:4 Md. R. 254)

Regulation .03H amended effective February 27, 2017 (44:4 Md. R. 254); May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 517)